Despite the drop in attendance, Saint-Tropez wants to keep the Bravades attractions going

Is the funfair in danger? While the ancestral blunderbusses have been hitting the village for generations, the attractions of the Place des Lices and Place du ^XVe Corps have been livening up the local scene for decades in the wake of the bravado. Except that these have been experiencing a serious drop in attendance lately, to the point that the municipality has decided to address the issue by tightening its communications policy.

"We have included the event in our events program and have published posters to highlight this celebration, which we absolutely want to see continue. It has always been part of the decor," the town hall said.

Isabelle Vieillecroze, whom we met with Aimos and Alma, would not disagree.

"I bring my two grandchildren, just as I used to bring my own children Diane, Charles, and Jeanne straight from school. I wouldn't miss this event for the world. It remains a magical moment, and the fairground workers are so friendly. Of course, it can be a budgetary expense for some families, but we have to support this kind of event because otherwise there will be nothing left in the villages!" she argues.

Free tickets under consideration

"We've actually noticed a decline in attendance for several years. Plus, this year the festival falls outside of the long weekend. But for us, it's also been a family tradition for fifty years, so we're here!" smiles Coralie, who's from Cannes and watching over eight giant inflatables.

Opposite, the bumper cars of the in-laws, Martine and Jean-François, based in Brignoles, remain at a standstill this Wednesday afternoon.

"When there's a bit of bravado, things move a bit, even on weekends, but it's not like before. Afterwards, it's still better than not working!" , says the couple, who also have no complaints about the linear meter fee paid at a "low price."

If a common pass between the twenty or so attractions, which are independent of each other, is not possible, most of them offer reduced rates.

On the part of the municipality, which fears seeing the fairground workers decline the invitation to Saint-Tropez, as is already the case for some, a discussion is underway to offer a free ticket to each Saint-Tropez schoolchild.

"We want to attract them back here!" confirms one agent.

From various shooting ranges to Crazy Casinos, including the timeless claws, punching bags and other treats, the delightful offerings are still there, available to be enjoyed until Wednesday, May 21.